Tools in God's Hands

       

My church family at Church of the Highlands is currently in our annual 21 days of prayer and fasting: a time to place God first in the new year, draw near to Him, and vigilantly listen to His voice.

       Season after prayer season, God has never failed to spotlight His select passage for me to chew on in those 21 days. This year, He marked:

“Enlarge the site of your tent, and let your tent curtains be
stretched out; do not hold back; lengthen your ropes, and drive your pegs deep!”
Isaiah 54:2 HCS

       Initially, I interpreted this verse to be an instruction to enlarge, stretch out, not hold back, lengthen, and drive deep in the God-assignments He’s set before me. So I asked repeatedly, “How do I do that, Lord, and what do I do?” 

       God replied…

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall

meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do

according to all that is written in it; for then you

will make your way prosperous, and then you will

have success…for the Lord your God is

with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:8-9

So I…

meditated,

              contemplated,

                     mused,

                      pondered,

              mulled over,

       reflected,

and

   chewed

          and

              chewed

                       and

                          chewed.

Then, in the adjacent column, straight across the page from Isa. 54:2, I spotted…

“Poor [Jerusalem], storm-tossed, and not comforted,

I WILL set your stones in black mortar,

And lay your foundations in sapphires.”

Isaiah 54:11

Ah-ha! Just as You will enlarge and rebuild Jerusalem, You desire to stretch out the “tools” (The Schoolhouse, WonderfulFamilyStorybooks Blog, Bible Studies, Secrets of Shiloh, and every open door) You’ve placed in my hands to drive deep the Good News of the saving, delivering, redeeming, and equipping power of Jesus. Therefore, I’m not to DO Isa. 54:2, I’m to PRAY Isa. 54:2, asking YOU to enlarge, stretch out, lengthen, and drive deep the tools as You rebuild me into a loyal laborer for the harvest!

                                     Amen! So be it!

The old tool shed sat about fifty yards away from the apple orchard. They found the shed unlocked, and Martin opened the door. The two friends peered inside. A wave of memories swept over Rachel and Martin as they looked at the rakes, hoes, and shovels hanging in a straight row along the back wall like soldiers on the front battle line. Except for cobwebs and a musty smell, nothing had changed. In one corner, the Colonel’s workbench sat well ordered with every nail, hammer, and screwdriver in its place. His old straw hat and work gloves still hung on two rusty hooks by the door.¹

¹Preview from Secrets of Shiloh: a new Christian storybook in the works for families!

(The Schoolhouse is available online at: Amazon.com and women’s Bible studies begin in the Birmingham, Alabama area Jan. 29, 2013. For locations and registration, email: misjill413@aol.com)